System and Method for Distributed Multipoint Conferencing with Automatic Endpoint Address Detection and Dynamic Endpoint-Server Allocation

1. A multipoint conferencing system for use in a computer network, comprising: a plurality of conference servers coupled to the network, wherein one or more of the plurality of conference servers are distributed across the network; a plurality of conference endpoints coupled to the network, wherein one or more of the plurality of conference endpoints are distributed across the network; and a link manager coupled to the network, wherein the link manager is configured to selectively assign a first one of the conference servers to a first plurality of the plurality of conference endpoints and a second one of the conference servers to a second plurality of the plurality of conference endpoints, to communicate at least first control signals to the selectively assigned conference servers to establish first communication links between the selectively assigned conference servers and the conference endpoints, and to communicate second control signals to the selectively assigned conference servers to establish second communication links among the selectively assigned conference servers through which the first plurality and the second plurality of conference endpoints participating in a same multipoint conference communicate, wherein the second control signals comprise one or more commands to the assigned conference servers to transmit separate media streams from each of the first plurality and the second plurality of conference endpoints and, in response to receiving the separate media streams for each of the first plurality and the second plurality of conference endpoints, at least one of mix, manage, and redistribute the received separate media streams at each assigned conference server.

2. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the conference servers has a first interface that is behind a firewall and a second interface that is in front of the firewall.

3. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 2 , wherein link manager is configured to automatically establish a first communication link between one of the first interface and the second interface and the conference endpoint according to at least in part a location of the conference endpoint relative to the firewall.

4. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 2 , wherein the link manager is configured to automatically establish a second communication link between one of the first interface and the second interface and another one of the conference servers according to at least in part a location of the second conference server relative to the firewall.

5. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 1 , wherein the link manager is configured to detect at least an endpoint identification of the conference endpoints.

6. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 1 , wherein the link manager is configured to selectively assign the first and second conference servers to the first and second conference endpoints according to endpoint identifications of the conference endpoints.

7. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 1 , wherein the link manager is configured to compare endpoint identifications to a plurality of pre-determined sets of endpoint identification values, wherein each set is associated with at least one of the plurality of conference servers.

8. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 7 , wherein one set of the pre-determined endpoint identification values correspond to addresses of a first network, and wherein another set of pre-determined identification values correspond to addresses of a second network.

9. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 8 , wherein the first network and the second network are separated by a firewall.

10. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 8 , wherein the endpoint identifications comprise IP addresses and wherein each set of endpoint identification values comprise a pre-determined IP address range.

11. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 8 , wherein the endpoint identifications comprise E164 addresses and wherein each set of endpoint identification values comprises a pre-determined E164 prefix.

12. A multipoint conferencing system, comprising: a plurality of conference servers each having a network interface for coupling to a computer network, wherein one or more of the plurality of conference servers are distributed across the computer network; and a link manager having a network interface for coupling to the computer network, wherein the link manager is configured to receive a request from a conference endpoint to join a multipoint conference, wherein the link manager is configured to select one of the plurality of conference servers for the conference endpoint in response to the request even if an endpoint identification of the endpoint is unknown the multipoint conference system prior to receiving the request, and wherein the link manager is configured to instruct the selected conference server to transmit separate media streams for the conference endpoint and, in response to receiving separate media streams from the conference endpoint and a plurality conference endpoints participating in the multipoint conference, at least one of mix, manage, and redistribute the received separate media streams at the selected conference server.

13. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 12 , wherein the link manager is configured to compare an IP address of the conference endpoint to pre-determined IP address ranges associated with the plurality of conference servers when selecting one of the conference servers for the conference endpoint.

14. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 12 , wherein the link manager is configured to compare an E164 address of the conference endpoint to pre-determined E164 prefixes associated with the plurality of conference servers when selecting one of the conference servers for the conference endpoint.

15. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the conference servers has a first interface that is behind a firewall and a second interface that is in front of the firewall.

16. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 15 , wherein the link manager is configured to automatically establish a communication link between one of the first interface and the second interface and the conference endpoint according to at least in part a location of the conference endpoint relative to the firewall.

17. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 12 , wherein the link manager is configured to establish communication links among at least two of the conference servers through which conference endpoints communicate.

18. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 12 , wherein the link manager is configured to establish communication links among at least two of the conference server through which conference endpoints communicate.

19. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the conference servers has a first interface that is behind a firewall and a second interface that is in front of the firewall, and wherein link manager is configured to automatically establish a communication link between one of the first interface and the second interface and another one of the conference servers according to at least in part a location of the other one of the conference servers relative to the firewall.

20. A multipoint conferencing system, comprising: a plurality of conference servers coupled to a network, wherein one or more of the plurality of conference servers are distributed across the network; a plurality of conference endpoints coupled to different ones of the conference servers via the network, wherein one or more of the plurality of conference endpoints are distributed across the network; and a link manager coupled to the network, wherein the link manager is configured to set up an impromptu multipoint conference involving the conference endpoints without requiring prior knowledge of an endpoint identification of at least one of the conference endpoints, and wherein the link manager is configured to instruct each of the plurality of conference servers to transmit separate media streams for the conference endpoints involved in the impromptu multipoint conference and, in response to receiving the separate media streams from the conference endpoints involved in the impromptu multipoint conference, at least one of mix, manage, and redistribute the received separate media streams at each of the plurality of conference servers.

21. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 20 , wherein the impromptu multipoint conference is collectively hosted by more than one of the conference servers.

22. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 20 , wherein the link manager manages communication links between the conference endpoints and the conference servers.

23. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 22 , wherein the link manager manages communication links between at least two of the conference servers through which at least two conference endpoints of a same multipoint conference communicate.

24. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 20 , wherein the link manager is configured to detect endpoint identifications of the conference endpoints.

25. The multipoint conferencing system of claim 24 , wherein the link manager is configured to selectively assign the conference servers to the conference endpoints according to at least in part the endpoint identifications.

26. A method of setting up an impromptu multipoint conference in a multipoint conferencing system that has a plurality of conference servers, wherein one or more of the plurality of conference servers are distributed across the network, comprising: receiving a request to participate in a multipoint conference from a conference endpoint, wherein one or more participating conference endpoints are served by a first one of the conference servers, the one or more participating conference endpoints being distributed across the network; in response to at least in part information carried by the request, communicating at least a first control signal to a second one of the conference servers to establish a server-endpoint relationship between the conference endpoint and the second conference server; and communicating at least a second control signal to the first conference server and the second conference server to establish a communication link between the conference servers through which data captured at the conference endpoint is sent to the one or more participating endpoints, wherein the second control signal comprises one or more commands to the second conference server to transmit separate media streams for the conference endpoint and the participating conference endpoints with the server-endpoint relationship and, in response to receiving the separate media streams from each of the participating conference endpoints, at least one of mix, manage, and redistribute the received separate media streams at the second conference server.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the information carried by the request comprises an IP address of the conference endpoint.

28. The method of claim 27 , comprising comparing the IP address to pre-determined IP address ranges associated with the plurality of conference servers.

29. The method of claim 26 , wherein the information carried by the request comprises an E164 address of the conference endpoint.

30. The method of claim 29 , comprising comparing the E164 address to pre- determined E164 prefixes associated with the plurality of conference servers.

31. A link manager for a multipoint conferencing system, comprising: means for receiving a request to participate in a multipoint conference from a conference endpoint, wherein one or more conference endpoints being distributed across the network, the one or more conference endpoints participating in the multipoint conference are served by a first one of the conference servers, one or more of the conference servers being distributed across the network; means for communicating, in response to at least in part information carried by the request, at least a first control signal to a second one of the conference servers to establish a server-endpoint relationship between the conference endpoint and the second conference server; and means for communicating at least a second control signal to the first conference server and the second conference server to establish a communication link between the conference servers through which data captured at the conference endpoint is sent to the one or more participating endpoints, wherein the second control signal comprises one or more commands to the second conference server to transmit separate media streams for the conference endpoint and the participating conference endpoints with the server-endpoint relationship and, in response to receiving the separate media streams from each of the participating conference endpoints, at least one of mix, manage, and redistribute the received separate media streams at the second conference server.

32. The link manager of claim 31 , comprising means for detecting an IP address of the conference endpoint.

33. The link manager of claim 32 , comprising means for comparing the IP address to pre-determined IP address ranges associated with the plurality of conference servers.

34. The link manager of claim 31 , comprising means for detecting an E164 address of the conference endpoint.

35. The link manager of claim 34 , comprising means for comparing the E164 address to pre-determined E164 prefixes associated with the plurality of conference servers.

36. A computer program product for use in conjunction with a computer device, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embodied therein that, upon execution by the computer device, enables the computer device to perform a method of setting up impromptu multipoint conferences hosted by a plurality of conference servers, the method comprising: receiving a request to participate in a multipoint conference from a conference endpoint, wherein one or more participating conference endpoints are served by a first one of the conference servers, the one or more participating conference endpoints being distributed across the network; in response to at least in part information carried by the request, communicating at least a first control signal to a second one of the conference servers to establish a server-endpoint relationship between the conference endpoint and the second conference server; and communicating at least a second control signal to the first conference server and the second conference server to establish a communication link between the conference servers through which data captured at the conference endpoint is sent to the one or more participating endpoints, wherein the second control signal comprises one or more commands to the second conference server to transmit separate media streams for the conference endpoint and the participating conference endpoints with the server-endpoint relationship and, in response to receiving the separate media streams from each of the participating conference endpoints, at least one of mix, manage, and redistribute the received separate media streams at the second conference server.

37. The computer program product of claim 36 , wherein the method further comprises managing communication links between the conference endpoints and the conference servers.

38. The computer program product of claim 36 , wherein the method further comprises managing communication links between at least two of the conference servers through which at least two conference endpoints of a same multipoint conference communicate.

39. The computer program product of claim 36 , wherein the method further comprises detecting at least an IP address of the conference endpoints.

40. The computer program product of claim 36 , wherein the method further comprises establishing communication links between the conference endpoints and the plurality of conference servers according to IP addresses of the conference endpoints.

41. The computer program product of claim 40 , wherein the method further comprises comparing IP addresses to a plurality of pre-determined IP address ranges associated with the plurality of conference servers.

42. The computer program product of claim 36 , wherein the method further comprises detecting at least an E164 address of the conference endpoints.

43. The computer program product of claim 36 , wherein the method further comprises establishing communication links between the conference endpoints and the plurality of conference servers according to E164 addresses of the conference endpoints.

44. The computer program product of claim 43 , wherein the method further comprises comparing E164 addresses to a plurality of pre-determined E164 prefixes associated with the plurality of conference servers.